Playing for keeps or just playing with emotion? Studying tilt and emotion regulation in video games

Sarah C Cregan; Adam J Toth; Mark J Campbell

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1385242

Playing for keeps or just playing with emotion? Studying tilt and emotion regulation in video games

Front Psychol. 2024 Apr 26:15:1385242. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1385242. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Sarah C Cregan^{1

2}, Adam J Toth^{1

2

3

4}, Mark J Campbell^{1

2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
² Lero - Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
³ Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
⁴ Centre for Sport Leadership, Maties Sport, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Abstract

Introduction: In video gaming, tilt is thought to relate to poor emotional control and game performance. Despite widespread recognition of tilt in video gaming, there is a lack of research examining tilt empirically.

Methods: One thousand and seven gamers took part in our online study examining gamers experience of tilt, the factors which contribute to and protect against tilt, and the emotion regulation strategies gamers employ to deal with tilt.

Results: Gamers who reported playing for more competitive reasons, were at higher risk of experiencing tilt. Additional factors associated with an increased risk of experiencing tilt were increased anger and more hours spent playing. Protective factors against experiencing tilt were also identified, inclusive of a greater number of years gaming experience and engagement in adaptive emotion regulation strategies.

Discussion: This study provides an important starting point for creating a better understanding of tilt in gaming, equipping us with new knowledge to better support gamers to improve their emotion regulation during game play performance.

Keywords: choking; competitive gaming; coping strategies; emotional control; esports; game genre.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported with the financial support of the Science Foundation Ireland grant 13/RC/2094_P2 and co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund through the Southern & Eastern Regional Operational Programme to Lero - the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software (www.lero.ie).